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Kershaw turns up heat in latest bullpen session

4/17/14: Don Mattingly provides an update on the progress of Clayton Kershaw's rehab and talks about his bullpen session

By Ken Gurnick
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MLB.com |

SAN FRANCISCO -- Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw, currently on the disabled list, had his most aggressive bullpen session yet Thursday.

Kershaw threw 35 pitches, with a five-minute break in between to simulate the up and down of an inning. He threw breaking balls off a mound for the first time and finished with a lively fastball that appeared well in excess of the mid-80s restriction he's been under.

"He had a little more velocity, but I didn't see any 95s," said Don Mattingly, the manager of expectations with Kershaw. "He threw harder than the day before. He'll throw every other day."

Kershaw still needs to continue building arm strength, but he appears healed from the teres major muscle strain he suffered in Australia. Mattingly would not speculate when Kershaw would be ready to begin a Minor League rehab assignment.

Ken Gurnick is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.